


I've Just Seen a Face

by NightAuthor



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Always a Different Sex, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angry Bilbo Baggins, BAMF Bilbo Baggins, F/M, Female Bilbo, Fluff, Hobbits Love to Party, If You Squint - Freeform, Matchmaker!Bombur, Meet the Family, Thranduil Better Watch Out, Waiting 'Til Marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-05-30
Packaged: 2018-10-19 08:02:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10635681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NightAuthor/pseuds/NightAuthor
Summary: Bella Baggins and Fíli Durinson wind up on a blind date, albeit one that neither of them were expecting. 'Nuf said.





	1. Chapter 1

“Are you ready to order?” The waitress was even more pitying now. _I hadn’t thought that was possible_.

Bella smiled tightly and fought not to check her phone again. “He’ll be here soon.” _He has to be. It’s our anniversary._ The woman sighed and walked away. Bella did her best to ignore the stares, _but Yavanna, is_ _everyone_ _watching?_ Flicking on her phone, she held back a sigh when she saw the time. _Otho, come_ _on_ _, I know you saw my texts. It’s been three hours; you couldn’t even let me know?_

“I’m so sorry, darling, traffic was murder.” A man with shaggy blond hair a few shades lighter than hers and a short beard slid into the seat across from her, and his next words, in a low whisper, were the only reason Bella didn’t start yelling. “I’m Fíli, and whoever stood you up is an blind idiot. Go along with it?” _O…K…?_

She huffed, wishing she wasn’t blushing. “You know texting exists for a reason, don’t you?”

He smiled brilliantly, and her blush intensified. _It’s so not fair to be that handsome._ “As do car chargers, but Kíli stole mine.”

“Is that a surprise?” As soon as the words were out, she wished she could take them back, _or at least make them a little less teasing_.

“Well, you know Kee, always has to live up to the little brother stereotype.” He winked at her, still smiling. Despite herself, she started to relax. _At least I know he has a brain_. After a moment, she realized she was staring at him and jerked the menu up to hide behind. He laughed softly, but he didn’t sound mocking. “Have you decided what to get?”

Taking a chance, she peeked around her menu and wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed that he was looking down at his own. “Not yet. I keep going back and forth between the Fettuccini Alfredo and something with fries.”

He quirked an eyebrow at her, but she didn’t look away. _Pretending we’re dating is going to be if I can’t even smile at him, or be smiled at without turning bright red_. “Anything with fries?”

Somewhat self-deprecatingly, she chuckled, trying to fight her blush. “Oh, fries are the best food in existence, and one of these days, I will convince you of that.”

“Well then, we’ll just have to share, then.” She blinked at him and his smile fell a fraction. “I’ll get a burger and fries, you get the pasta?”

“Oh,” she smiled at him, feeling foolish. “I’m sorry, I think I’m running out of caffeine.” His expression brightened a tad, but he almost looked admiring. _What was so impressive? It wasn’t even a good lie. I hate coffee._

“So, are you ready to order?” Bella jumped as the waitress spoke, then had to cover her mouth as she laughed; Fíli had been just as startled, and looked just as sheepish as she felt.

“Yes, I think so.” He opened his menu again and scanned through it for a moment. “I’ll have a Pepsi, and a cheeseburger and fries.” He laid his menu down and Bella laid hers on it.

“And I’ll have the Fettuccini Alfredo, please, and another lemonade. Thank you!” Picking up the menus, the waitress sent a decidedly hostile glance at Fíli and walked away. Biting her lip to keep from laughing aloud, Bella murmured, “I don’t think she thinks you’re good enough for me.”

In a mock-whisper, he confided, “I don’t think so, either.”

“What, am I not pretty enough for you?” _CRAP, NO, HE DOESN’T KNOW IT’S A JOKE!_

Before she could explain that she hadn’t been serious, he leaned forward and stated, “No, you aren’t pretty.” A few of the people seated within earshot gasped, but he continued before anyone, including Bella, could toss a drink in his face. “You’re beautiful.” Bella’s face felt warm enough to fry an egg. He smirked, but there was no cruelty in the expression, only a wonder-filled sort of regard. “You’re more lovely than anyone I’ve ever met, and I’d really like to kiss you right now.” 

All she could do for a long moment was stare into his baby blue eyes, a few shades lighter than hers, and much less green, and only broke the contact when a crash came from the kitchen. Heart pounding, she ducked her head and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “For the record, I wasn’t actually fishing for a compliment.” Someone was yelling in the back. _I hope they didn’t drop our food_.

He shrugged. “Didn’t think you were. But the answer wouldn’t have been any different.” His voice dropped until it was barely audible, and several conversations around them paused. “And I don’t think that answer’s ever going to change.”

 _Did he just— he did, he… wait a second. Why’s it so quiet?_ As she glanced around the room, quite a few people averted their eyes and started talking again. She met Fíli’s eyes, stifling her laughter, and saw that he was doing the same. _Change the subject._ “So, um, what’s Kíli been up to? I don’t think I’ve seen him in a little while.” _Yavanna, please let me have remembered his name right_.

“Oh, that’s right, you probably didn’t hear about that!”

“About what?” His humor was contagious, and Bella almost started laughing before he even began to explain.

“Well, you remember how mad he was last year, when I turned twenty-one and he couldn’t have anything to drink?” _And now I know how old he is. Clever. Ooh, and he’s only a year or so older than me! Wait, no, we’re only pretending to date, it doesn’t matter_. “Yesterday, he insisted on going out and getting plastered so that he doesn’t embarrass himself at the party tomorrow, and it turns out he has a girlfriend!”

Bella’s eyebrows shot up. “A secret girlfriend?” _Oh, I hope that didn’t sound too incredulous_.

He nodded, clearly amused with the entire situation. “That’s not the best part, the best part is that she works for the competition!” She raised an eyebrow. _You do remember I don’t even know your last name?_ “Uncle’s hated Greenworks for years, and not only does she, I think her name is Tauriel, not only does she work for them, she’s the CEO’s niece!”

“Oh, dear,” As she laughed, she covered her mouth lightly. “It sounds rather Romeo and Juliet.”

He groaned good-naturedly. “Here’s hoping it doesn’t turn out as tragic.”

Delightedly, her eyes widened. “Thank you! Why do people keep acting like it’s all so romantic? Honestly, six people died, including the heroes!”

He sat up, leaning over the table a bit, and she realized that he was copying her posture. “And Juliet was only thirteen, don’t forget that! Romeo was seventeen, and—”

“And obsessed with Rosaline like two scenes before he swears he’s in love with Juliet!” He broke into laughter just as she did, and she realized she hadn’t had this much fun on a date in months. “And there are dozens of better couples in fiction that don’t get any attention, despite being ten times more healthy for each other.”

“Like Andy and April.”

“Rapunzel and Flynn.”

“Gajeel and Levy.”

“David and Mary Margaret.”

“Pam and Jim.”

“Morticia and Gomez.”

“Margaret and Thornton.” That took her aback, and she blinked at him, a slow smile creeping onto her face. He flushed. “It’s my Mom’s favorite show.” _Oh, he looks so cute when he’s shy! I wasn’t sure he_ _could_ _look shy_.

“Well, you have to admit, it is one of the most romantic period dramas ever made, and the book is even better! I mean, the last scene is just— oh!” Sighing melodramatically, she slumped back in her seat, head tilted to the ceiling, eyes closed, smiling soppily.

“Sure you’re not an English Major?” His tone was teasing, and he winked at her when she opened her eyes.

“Yup!” She chirped. “I did seriously think about it, but I ended up deciding on a Business-Sociology double Major.” Fíli’s eyebrows shot up, but before Bella could figure out a reason why she wouldn’t have told her ‘boyfriend’ about that, the waitress set his drink on the table with a small thunk. As she walked away, Bella called after her, “Thank you!” He chuckled. Bella frowned playfully at him. “What?”

“Nothing; I just realized how much I like you better than my last girlfriend. She was a harpy; rude, shallow, and a complete gold-digger to boot.” There was a question in his eyes, and she held back a smile when she realized he’d given her the opening deliberately.

“Well,” she cleared her throat self-consciously, “My last boyfriend wasn’t much better. He stood me up on our anniversary.” His eyes bugged, and he looked absurdly sympathetic for a moment before hiding it. “We’d been growing apart for months, in hindsight,” she only realized how true it was as she said it, “not to mention, I’d caught him talking to one of my more foul cousins a few times.”

“Have I met the cousin in question?” _And there’s a reason to describe her; how perfect can you be?_

“No, and believe me, you don’t want to. Lobelia’s at least as much of a gold-digger as your ex, and…” The epiphany stilled Bella. When Fíli looked a little concerned, she smiled sadly at him and continued. “And I think Otho was probably working with her to get my money. It makes more sense than anything else, anyway. His branch of the family’s never been especially friendly to mine, and then he asks me out all of a sudden?” Scoffing, she shook her head. _Of course,_ _now_ _it seems obvious_.

Clearing his throat, he shifted in his seat. “How is he related to you, again?” _Oh, I made it sound like we’re kissing cousins, didn’t I?_

“He’s…” She thought for a moment. “My third step-cousin once removed, and Lobelia’s my first cousin three times removed on my mother’s side, which makes her his second step-cousin once removed on his father’s side.” She thought over the family tree again, _double-check_ , then nodded and met Fíli’s eyes. _How are they so blue? It’s like a special effect_. He looked stunned, and she bit back a laugh. “I could draw you a diagram, but I’m afraid I’d need about ten square feet of paper to fit everyone.”

“Mahal. My family’s bare bones by comparison.”

She huffed. “Yes, but do they care for each other? Out of all… sixteen? No, seventeen of my aunts and uncles, and almost too many cousins to count, I have four relatives I would actually call my ‘family’. The others are just irritating gossip-mongers who I’m obligated to spend time with at holidays.”

“Well, I think there might have been a few times when Kee and I were young that Uncle Thorin wanted to strangle us, but he still loves us. There are times when I forget that he’s not actually our father, and that Dwalin and Balin aren’t actually our uncles.” _He’s lost someone_. He looked so mournful that Bella couldn’t help but reach out and rest her hand on his. He jumped a hair, but then gave her a look of such profound gratitude and relief that she didn’t pull away when he turned his hand over to twine his fingers between hers.

“I think I know what you mean.” Eyes watering to match his, the feeling of his hand in hers was more comforting than she’d expected. “There are days when it seems like Aunt Mirabella raised me, even though I barely even knew her before the funeral. And then there are days when I think Mom and Dad will walk through the door like it hasn’t been five years already.” Her voice broke and he placed his other hand on hers. Meeting his eyes, Bella saw the same sympathy as her family had for her, but without any of the pity. Instead, it was combined with the pain and grief that she saw in the mirror every day. She gave him a watery smile, but wasn’t sure if she could muster up the energy for the usual platitudes. But he neither offered nor asked for any, just held her eyes with a patient gravitas.

Both of them jumped when the waitress set down their food, Fíli’s fingers tightening on hers for an instant and sending a jolt of warmth, _of safety and home and_ _belonging_ , through her. Abruptly, she remembered: she’d met him less than an hour earlier, she didn’t even know his last name, and she’d probably never see him again after tonight. The last thought turned her stomach, the idea of not talking to him again bizarrely repugnant after knowing him for such a small amount of time. She started to draw her hand back, but he squeezed it lightly, a silent plea in his face. A faint blush rose in her cheeks, but she smiled wryly. “I doubt it’ll be easy to eat with your left hand, but it’s your choice, I suppose.” _And I doubt it’ll be easy to let go of you later tonight, but… for right now, for a few more hours, I want this. Even if it hurts me in the end_.

Their meal passed in relative silence until Fíli finished his burger, at which time Bella took the opportunity to get him talking about himself, given that she’d done all the talking until then. He twisted his answers to sound as though he were reminding her of old conversations, or realizing that he’d forgotten to inform her of something. _Oh, you’re brilliant_. As he told her about: his family, which consisted of his mother, uncle, brother, and assorted friends of the family that were considered honorary uncles even if they were cousins; his job at Erebor Corp., which he was oddly vague about, but she wasn’t about to argue, given being vague was distracting him enough that she was stealing his fries from literally under his nose; and his schoolwork, studying for a degree in Mechanical Engineering and following in his Uncle’s footsteps; as he spoke, Bella felt lighter than she had in years. 

Her friends at school always changed toward her once they found out about her parents, if not her family, and her family, for the most part, were either meddling busybodies or venomous enough to corrode mithril. With her workload, she didn’t have any time or energy to socialize with really anyone but Primula, Drogo, and Otho, although she wouldn’t be speaking to him for some time, if he was lucky. And then, out of nowhere, this gorgeous, mad, brilliant man rode in to rescue her and completely swept her off her feet. His thumb was moving in arcs across her skin, and she didn’t think he was even aware that he was doing it; he was completely engrossed in his impression of one of his teachers, and so alive that Bella felt energized just watching him, felt like she could do anything while he was smiling at her and holding her hand like that.

The waitress cleared her throat, and Bella wondered, as they jumped, whether that was the first time she’d tried to get their attention. _And when did I start thinking of us as ‘us’?_ “Would you like any dessert?”

Bella looked at Fíli to gauge his interest just as he glanced down at his now-empty plate. His head jerked up, and she shrugged unrepentantly; he smiled widely, and chuckled as he answered the waitress. “I would. The chocolate, uh—”

“Chocolate Heaven Meltdown.” He laughed, and Bella raised an eyebrow at him. “What? It looks good.”

Even the waitress was starting to find Fíli’s laughter contagious, and he barely managed to school his expression long enough to tell her, “One of those, and we’ll split it,” before laughing again. After the woman walked away and Bella was starting to be annoyed by his as-yet-unexplained mirth, he shook his head at her. “You’re incredible, you know that?” She stiffened, but he slowed a moment later, holding her eyes breathlessly. “Completely incredible.” _Were his eyes that blue a minute ago?_

Feeling her cheeks heat, she felt more than a little breathless herself. “I think it’s my turn to compliment you, but all I can think of is that you’re probably a really good kisser.” His eyes immediately dropped to her mouth, and she flushed even darker when he licked his lips and swallowed. Screwing his eyes shut, he clenched his jaw and visibly gathered himself.

He opened his eyes to smile at her apologetically. “Not the time.” He squeezed her hand lightly, which didn’t help the fluttering in her stomach at all. “But,” color rose in his cheeks, and he looked endearingly bashful, “I’d like to do this again.” His eyes widened. “Not the, the, um…”

Feeling her own face heat a little, she squeezed his hand and smiled shyly at him. “Not the waiting for three hours, no, but the date part sounds good.” His entire face lit up in a delighted grin that would’ve left her weak at the knees if they hadn’t been sitting down. _Oh, dear Eru, you’re gorgeous_. Blushing, his eyes widened, and she slapped her free hand over her mouth. “I just said that out loud, didn’t I?” 

His grin reasserted itself, now with a hint of pride mixed in. “At least I won’t have to wonder if you’re out of my league.”

A snort escaped before she could stop it. “You’re the one who looks like he should be a movie star!”

“And you don’t?” As he smirked at her in a way that was undisguisedly admiring, she met his eyes easily despite a faint blush.

“Touché.”

His eyes widened a little, and a startled laugh left him. “And confident, too!”

Leaning forward, she let her tone ease into something a tad more flirtatious. “Well, I can’t say that’s always true, but I was taught to accept compliments graciously, especially from people I find intelligent.” He leaned toward her, and looked as though he was about to respond in kind, when two unexpected, but familiar voices seemed to grab Bella’s attention and rip it away. Fíli only blinked at her, perplexed, _I assume_ , by how her expression abruptly hardened as she pulled her hand out of his, stood, and picked up their, for the most part, still-full and surprisingly heavy glasses. “Excuse me.”

Smoothly, she made her way to a table at the other end of the room, confirming that the occupants were who she thought they were on the way, and once she reached the table, dumped her lemonade on Lobelia’s head, and Fíli’s Pepsi on Otho. As her cousins sputtered, she set down one of the glasses and leaned over to speak confidingly, though not quietly, to Lobelia. “Really, Lolo, I would have thought you would know better than to get involved with a lying, duplicitous, malignant little rat.” She put a hand to her mouth in faux surprise. “Oh, wait, I just described you. Never mind, you two were obviously made for each other.” 

Ignoring Lobelia’s shriek, she turned to Otho. “If you were after my money, or perhaps my company, then you are, by far, the worst con artist imaginable. You go to all the trouble of seducing me, I assume with the end goal of marrying me and taking said money and company, and then ruin it by standing me up on our anniversary?” Otho gaped. “You’re lucky I just had the best first date of my life, because otherwise, I can assure you, you wouldn’t be getting off so easily.”

He blinked up at her. “So I’m forgiven?”

She grinned viciously. “On the contrary, if I ever see you again, you’ll get worse than a bruise.”

He frowned. “What bru—” She cut him off by dropping the glass on his head, and was gratified to hear that it hurt at least as much as she’d hoped.

“If I didn’t have such serious doubts about your intelligence, I would assume it goes without saying that you’ve been dumped, but really, coming to the same restaurant you were supposed to meet me at? That was imbecilic. That means stupid, by the way. Oh, and as of right now, you’re fired. The only reason I kept you around for so long was the fact that we were dating.” She turned around to go back and apologize to Fíli, only to stop when she saw that he was standing a few feet away, visibly shocked, next to a rotund redheaded man. 

Flushing, she began to stammer out an explanation, only to be but off by Fíli’s amazed voice. “I think that might have been the most attractive thing I’ve ever seen.”

She blushed happily as the redhead burst into laughter. “Knew I did the right thing calling you!”

Fíli rolled his eyes, but sounded fond. “Yes, thank you, Uncle Bombur.”

Bella smiled and stepped a little closer to them, still blushing slightly. “The same Bombur that taught you to cook?”

“I’m sorry, I forgot, this is Bombur Bergsen. Bom, this is…” He hesitated, and Bella clapped a hand over her mouth to hold back a sudden laugh.

“I just realized I never introduced myself.” As she spoke, she dipped into a slight curtsey. “Bella Baggins, warm home to you.”

Fíli choked out, “Baggins, as in Bag-End Consulting?”

A nervous tremor ran through Bella, but she suppressed it to reply cheerfully. _If he treats me any differently now, at least I only lost one night of friendship_. “Administrator, Executive Director, and Sole Proprietor.” _Although technically I won’t be Director for another four months, since I can’t completely inherit until I’m twenty-one._

He grinned, at least as widely as when she said she’d like to go out with him again. Expertly, he bowed in what she recognized as old Eastern style. “Fíli Durinson, at your service.”

Bella’s eyes bugged. “Durinson, as in Erebor Durinson? You meant that Uncle Thorin?!” _That explains the bowing._ He just started laughing, and after a moment, she joined in. “Well, at least I know you’re not after my money!”

“Just what I was thinking.” His laughter trailed off as he smiled down at her, and she realized she’d moved closer to him at some point, they were barely six inches apart, and he was much taller than she’d thought. She hardly came up to his shoulders, and even though he was slim, proportionately, she still felt tiny, delicate, and almost dainty in comparison. Usually, it annoyed her when people made her feel small, but standing almost chest-to-chest with Fíli as she was, the same feeling of home and belonging settled into her bones, and she had never felt safer. “Come meet my family.”

She quirked an eyebrow, smirking faintly at how nervous he looked. “Tiny bit fast, isn’t it?”

He shrugged, expression firming. “It feels right. They’ll love you.”

Smiling broadly, she nodded. “Alright. But if I spend the night, I’m staying in a guest room.” _I may want to kiss you more than anyone I’ve ever met, but principles aren’t worth much if you throw them away at the slightest temptation_.

He nodded easily. “I’d never ask otherwise. I was taught to value women’s honor, and my own, too much for that.”

“Maybe you should take your hands off her waist, then.” Bombur’s dry observation sent both of them stumbling back, bright red. _I hadn’t even noticed_. It was obvious, just looking at Fíli, that he’d been as startled by his position as she was to realize her hands had been on his chest. She’d forgotten Bombur was there, and remembered, abruptly, that they were, in fact, in the middle of a restaurant. The other patrons were, for the most part, staring at the scene, and she blushed, hand rising to cover an embarrassed laugh.

“Don’t.” She looked up to see that Fíli, still blushing from a few feet away, was shyly half-smiling at her. “You have a beautiful smile; you shouldn’t hide it.” She laughed, startled, and realized she’d dropped her hand. She began to raise it again, automatically, but stopped herself and tucked her hair behind her ear, smiling. Bombur smiled at someone behind Bella, and she turned to see their waitress holding out a bag.

As she hesitantly took it, Bombur cleared his throat. “I hope you don’t mind, I had the kitchen prepare your dessert to go, and I threw in a few extra servings for the others.”

Fíli shook his head, but he was smiling. “You were that sure I’d invite her home?”

“I’ve known you since you were still running around starkers after bath time,” Bombur ignored Fíli’s spluttering, “so yes, I guessed that you weren’t about to let go of the girl that had you so twitterpated, not after a few measly hours.” He turned to Bella with a mock-whisper. “He’s a charmer, but don’t worry, his mother would flay him if he ever laid a finger on you without your say-so. Just make sure to ask about the walnut story.” Fíli squawked; Bombur winked at Bella as she giggled. “And if you need to get back at Kíli or Thorin, which you will at some point, ask about Kíli’s first archery lesson.”

She nodded, still giggling, and bobbed a small curtsey to him. “Thank you for the tips.” Fíli held his arm out to her and she took it, unable to wipe the smile from her face. Nearly the entire room applauded, and both of them laughed as they walked toward the exit, faces equally red. “Do you want to pay, or should I?”

He shook his head. “Bombur’s the Head Chef; he’ll take care of it and send Uncle the bill, if I know him.” Sure enough, the Hostess waved off Bella’s inquiries about the check, and they continued outside. Fíli hesitated just outside the door. “Do… Did you drive here?” _What was he going to ask? ‘Do…’ … Do I want to drive separately or with him_.

She smiled. “I did, but I can have my cousin Primula pick it up.”

He turned to face her fully, earnest eyes showing his nerves. “Are you sure?” Flicking her eyes between his, she regarded him seriously, though her smile didn’t fade.

Finally, she nodded reassuringly. “I am.” His relived grin was infectious, and she couldn’t help but tease, “Are you always going to be so considerate of my boundaries?”

“Yes.” The immediate answer took her off guard, as did how sincere he was. His sober eyes held hers, and his words sounded like an oath. “To the best of my ability.” Again, that feeling, of safety, rushed through her in a flood of warmth, and she knew, somehow, that he was completely serious. She wanted, for a moment, to pull him down into a kiss, but held back as she smiled gratefully at him. _Not yet. Soon, but not yet_.


	2. Here Come Those Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bella meets Fíli's family, gets insulted, and Fíli freaks out.

Fíli glanced over at Bella. She was sitting in the passenger seat of his truck, her legs folded beneath her, watching the trees speed past the window. _Mahal, she’s beautiful_. Even half-invisible in the shadows, her honey-gold hair seemed to glow, and the little smile on her lips was bewitching: Fíli just wanted to see if those lips tasted as good as they looked. _Not yet. Maybe soon, hopefully_. She’d gotten into a car with him, with a man she’d barely known two hours, and while part of Fíli’s brain was wondering if she was suicidal, the rest was just glad he didn’t have to say goodbye yet.

Bombur’s text had led him to think he’d be rescuing some tragic little teenager, maybe letting her cry on his shoulder afterwards, and probably giving her the lecture Dís had given him on the difference between a good man and a nice one. Instead, he’d met a woman only a little younger than him, with eyes like the sea and a smile that hit him like a sledgehammer. And not only was she not crying on his shoulder, she’d flirted with him and dumped her boyfriend in front of him, in possibly the most attractive display of confidence he’d ever seen. Watching that, he’d had two thoughts: that he wanted to kiss her more than ever, and that she’d be the perfect addition to the family. 

He’d been taken aback to realize that he was already thinking of her as the girl he wanted to marry, but he didn’t regret asking her to meet his family. She was beautiful, brilliant, passionate— if Kíli wasn’t so serious about Tauriel, Fíli’d worry about him trying to steal Bella. _Not that anyone could steal her, if she didn’t want to be stolen, but still_. The way she smiled at him made his heart skip a beat, and he’d never met anyone who was as easy to be around. His face heated as he remembered how easily he’d interacted with her.

When she’d touched his hand, he’d felt as though something profound had happened, although he wasn’t sure what, exactly. He missed his father, and missed his uncle, but just holding her hand eased the pain, and he could see that it helped her, too. Then, later, she’d been standing so close that his teeth had ached from holding back the urge to touch her, and in the end, he hadn’t even noticed resting his hands on her waist. Whenever he thought about that, his hands twitched, still cold without her. She’d been softer than he could believe, warmer, and he had to focus on the road to take his mind off of wondering how soft the rest of her was.

He couldn’t think of anything to say. They’d talked for hours, in the restaurant, but now his mind was completely blank. But the silence wasn’t oppressive. It was a little awkward, for him, anyway, but mostly because he couldn’t tell if she was wishing he would say something. Other than that, he was content to let the silence last. Although it wasn’t really silence. She was expressive, even when he couldn't see her; she made little noises, huffs and hums and soft snorts as she thought, and if he’d known the subject, he could’ve almost narrated her opinions based on the sounds.

He felt underdressed, though. He hadn’t bothered to change when Bombur texted, so he was still in jeans and a t-shirt, Converse and uncombed hair. Bella, however, while just wearing dark jeans and a solid red, sleeveless shirt, somehow made them look elegant, although the little ruffles on the shirt helped. Her hair was in a simple twist over her shoulder, and he’d gotten close enough earlier to see that she didn’t have any make-up on besides eyeliner and maybe mascara. He’d lied, a little, earlier. He still worried that she was out of his league. 

Objectively, he knew that this was how she looked when she was dolled up for a date, and that he’d never seen her dressed casually, but it didn’t really matter. She would still be the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. He was handsome, he knew. Even without his mother and most of his uncles reassuring him through his awkward phase, he still got a few admiring looks every so often at school, but he never pursued things. He had, a few times when he was younger, but after the third gold-digger, he gave up. He decided to wait a few more years, until he was in Graduate School, maybe, and the girls weren’t so focused on getting a rich husband. He’d never thought the girl of his dreams would be as intelligent as Bella, although he’d hoped she’d be as pretty. After he’d realized that most girls who grew up like he did were spoiled brats, he’d given up hoping that she wouldn’t be interested in his money to some extent.

But Bella… She outshone half his expectations and contradicted the rest. She was stunning, but half of it was how beautiful her smiles were, especially when she was smiling at him. She was from money, but she wasn’t spoiled. And she was brilliant; for Mahal’s sake, she had her own company! Bag-End Consulting was a small firm, but a few of Erebor’s business partners swore by them; unfortunately, their biggest and most vocal supporter was Elrond, and, by extension, Rivendell Ltd., so Thorin had always refused to have anything to do with them. But Rohirrim LLC and Lorien Inc. had hired them before, and their stock had improved hugely within a few months, every time. Fíli’d been trying to convince his uncle to hire them for weeks, but it turned out that they’d also worked for Greenworks once upon a time, and that was that. Thorin wouldn’t hear anything further. He barely even tolerated working with Rivendell and Lorien.

Fíli was so lost in thought that he nearly missed the turn, but they made it to the house with no other problems. As they rounded the last bend in the _ridiculously long_ driveway, Fíli felt a proud grin creep onto his face, just as it did every time he saw the Lonely Mountain. It was a silly name, but when he and Kíli were little, the hill the house stood on seemed like a mountain. Given that you had to drive for half an hour just to see any lights from town, the house looked lonely, but it never had been, not really. Their family wasn’t big, but they filled the house well enough, and all of his happiest memories were here. He glanced at Bella and his grin widened at her awe-struck expression. 

“That’s your house?” He just nodded as he parked the truck, and rushed out to open the door for her. He was tall enough that he didn’t have any trouble climbing into his truck, but Bella was short enough that he’d had to help her up, which hadn’t helped him forget how it felt to hold her. Now, as he saw the almost reverential look on her face, he didn’t hesitate to reach up to her. She leaned toward him without taking her eyes off the house, and so he took that as permission to lift her, his hands settling on her waist as if they belonged there. She was as soft as before, and so light that he probably could have spun her around before setting her down, but he didn’t. 

Her hands rested lightly on his biceps as he lowered her, _just as warm as before_ , and when she was standing on her own, he didn’t move. The lights from the house reflected, star-like, in her eyes, made her hair and her skin glow, and he wasn’t sure he could look away if he tried. The difference in their heights made it easy, _so easy_ , to let his eyes fall to her lips, although he always came back to her eyes. She was still staring at the house; part of him found it funny, another wanted her to look at him like that, and both urged him to speak, his voice a few registers lower than usual. “I’m glad you find my handiwork so impressive.”

She blinked, meeting his eyes, and sending a jolt of heat through him. Her head swiveled, going between him and the house, him and the house, while her mouth opened and closed silently. It was tempting, rose-pink in the shadows, and he had to hold himself still rather than taste it for himself. “You— You built—?” She finally stopped moving and met his eyes.

The edge of his mouth lifted in a faint smirk, and another wave of heat rolled through him as her eyes darkened, flicking between his eyes and mouth much as his had. He nearly leant down, captured her lips in his, but instead, regretfully, took his hands off of her and stepped away. “I helped. Thorin, my uncles, Kíli, and I all worked on it. We got everything done in a single summer, although it would've been quicker if we hadn’t had to deal with the inspector from Udûn.” Thinking of Azog, as Fíli’d hoped, made it a little easier to recover from the state she’d put him in. _How does she do that? I usually have better self-control than this_.

As he cooled down, he looked over to see that she was scanning the house again, this time with a sadly fond smile. “It reminds me of my dollhouse.” He choked, and she shook her head, eyes wide. “No, that’s a good thing! My father…” She smiled again, even more sadly. “My father always wanted to give my mother the world. He thought building a house for her would be a good start, but between one thing and another, he never got around to it. So he used the design to build me a dollhouse when I was six.” Her expression lightened and his heart rose with it. “I used to imagine living there, with my parents. I’d have an older brother and sister, and we’d spend all our time eating, gardening, or reading.”

He smirked. “Well, I can’t say I’m surprised about the eating.” The plate of pasta had been bigger than his head, and she’d still had room after that to steal all of his fries and ask for dessert. She rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling as she took his arm and they started up the steps. “Or the reading, really, but gardening?”

“Hey!” She swatted his arm playfully, and he tried to pretend it hurt. “Home-grown tomatoes are the second-best food in existence!”

“And I’m guessing fries are just above them?”

“Oh, far above, but my mother’s Tuscan Chicken is a close third to the tomatoes.” He pulled his arm out of hers to open the door, and watched as her face practically glowed in her awe. She glided past him, apparently spell-bound, and his breath caught at the sight of her in his home. The house was rustic, stone and wood everywhere, and her casual elegance should’ve been out of place in the hall, but she looked… right. She looked like she belonged there, even as she spun to take it all in, flat shoes silent on the hardwood floor. As if she were reading his mind, she looked down at her feet with a surprised expression, then gave him a small grin and moved away, skating a few feet across the floor.

He realized he was still holding the door open and shut it without taking his eyes off of her. He was also grinning like an idiot, but he couldn’t stop if he tried. She slid to a stop, holding onto the edge of a table, and he moved toward her slowly, afraid to blink in case she disappeared. “I really hope you know how breathtaking you are.”

Her eyes widened as a shy blush crept over her cheeks, but after a moment she smiled. “If you keep telling me, it’ll be hard to forget.” There was still a hint of uncertainty in her eyes, but he wasn’t sure what the question was. Did she not believe him, or was it just that she wasn’t sure he’d be around to tell her? As long as he had a say in it, he would be around; if she changed her mind, he would go, but this night, seeing her here… he would never forget that, although he hoped seeing her here would be a common enough occurrence that he wouldn't need to remember this particular time.

He reached her, and as he stood next to her, watching the warm light shine on her hair, he couldn't remember what he’d been about to say. There was something, he was fairly sure of that, but what it was, he had no idea. And besides, whatever it was, it couldn't have been important, otherwise he wouldn't be standing here, watching her eyelashes flutter as she blinked, seeing how her freckles disappeared into her blush, how her eyes, more green than blue in this light, darkened as her pupils dilated, how her lips parted as he leaned down— “Well, well, what do we have here?” He took a quick step away from her, his hand falling away from her cheek, cursing Kíli’s timing. “Could it be my big brother with a girl?” Fíli peeked through his fingers to see that Bella, bright red, was tracking Kíli’s voice as he descended the staircase, out of sight. “No, that’s impossible, Fíli’s far too responsible to be kissing a stranger in the entryway.” 

Kíli rounded the corner, mischievous grin fixed on Fíli, though he tossed a wink at Bella, who was— holding back laughter? Fíli glared at his kid brother anyway. “We weren’t kissing.”

Adopting a mock-serious expression, Kíli nodded. “Good point. And you absolutely weren’t flirting.” He winked again at Bella, then bowed like Thorin had always taught them. “Kíli Durinson, at your service.”

She was definitely trying not to laugh, now, but still curtsied just as gracefully as in the restaurant. “Bella Baggins, warm home to you.” _She said that before, too. Is that traditional for her like ‘at your service’ it for us?_

Kíli’s eyes bugged, and Fíli quickly interjected, “Yes, as in Bag-End Consulting, and no, I didn’t know that when I decided to bring her here, and no, I didn’t invite her here for business.” _CRAPCRAPCRAPWRONGWAYTOSAYIT!_

Slowly, a victorious grin crept over Kíli as he stared at his brother. “So, d—”

“I think Fíli said your birthday was yesterday, didn't you?” She turned to Fíli with the last question, a wink flashing by almost too quickly to see.

Smiling gratefully, he nodded. “Yes, and the party's tomorrow.” _Of course she’d save the day_.

She turned back to Kíli with a radiant grin. “Happy Birthday! You’re turning twenty-one, right?”

“Yea—”

“And he said your party’s tomorrow, I’m sure you're excited about that. Maybe you could tell me about it while Fíli fetches the cake from the truck?” She winked at him again, but he barely noticed, too preoccupied by the realization that _oh, crap, I forgot about dessert!_

Kíli immediately perked up at the mention of food, and Fíli had a sudden premonition, _or nightmare_ , of all the mischief Kíli would get up to if he was alone with her. “NO,” _crapthatwastooloud_ , “Uh, I mean, Kíli can get it just as easily as I can.”

Kíli raised a sardonic eyebrow. “Your truck locks automatically.”

Before Fíli could say anything more, a feather-light touch on his arm distracted him. Bella was smiling at him reassuringly, and gently squeezed his forearm. “How about you and Kíli both go, and I’ll try and find some plates. Kitchen’s this way?” Kíli gave her a few directions while Fíli’s mind ran in circles, and almost before he realized it, she was disappearing around the corner, one last smile sweeping all coherent thought out of his brain.

It was a few seconds before he realized Kíli was smirking at him. Fíli rolled his eyes, pretending he wasn’t blushing, and elbowed his brother. “Oh, shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything!” Ignoring him, Fíli stalked to the door, wrenching it open with a tad more force than strictly necessary. Cackling, Kíli followed, shutting the door behind them and leaning against the truck while Fíli climbed in. “So, how hypocritical were you being yesterday? Have you been hiding her for weeks, months, what?”

“I didn’t hide anything,” he growled. He had to lift the bag of to-go containers carefully to avoid tipping it too far to one side or another, and lowered it to Kíli before climbing down himself.

“So how long have you known her, then?” Kíli hadn't moved from his relaxed position on the truck, and Fíli recognized that he wasn’t about to budge until he got his answers. 

With a sigh, Fíli settled next to his brother, Kíli’s slouch putting them at the same eye level. “…About three hours.” Slowly, Kíli turned to look incredulously at him. “Don’t even start, I know how insane this all is.” He ran a hand roughly through his hair, exhaling. “I can’t even explain, I don’t really understand myself, I just…” Letting his head fall back, his eyes drifted over  the house and the thin band of stars visible just above the roof. “She’s the head of Bag-End, you know that? While I’ve been doing all my research, trying to convince Uncle, I saw that the Baggins’ had left the company to their daughter, and that she wasn’t set to inherit until she turned twenty-one. That’s all that’s public knowledge, there aren’t even any pictures of her. 

“But Elrond kept trying to get Uncle to go to them, so I asked him if he knew anything. He was the one who told me that the current Director’s been keeping her, the heiress, involved in the decisions for years, she’s practically been in charge for months, and she’s dealt directly with Elrond, at least, for the last two years. And that’s Bella. I spent two hours talking to her before I found out who she was, and everything she told me about her family, her school, it all fits. She is Bella Baggins, and…” Thinking over the night, an irrepressible smile dawned over Fíli. “She’s the most incredible woman I’ve ever met. She’s going for a Business-Sociology double major, you know, while she’s running a company!” Laughter bubbling to the sky, he had to take a minute before he could continue. “And she’s gorgeous, Mahal, she’s just… Every time I look at her, it’s like my heart just stops, and oh, those eyes! I could spend a year just looking at her eyes and I don’t think I’d come close to seeing all the different colors they turn. I’ve known her for three hours, I only learned her name an hour ago, and I’m already trying to figure out how to propose! It’s absurd!”

“No, it’s not. That's exactly how I feel about Tauriel.” Kíli's soft smile turned to a smirk. “Granted, it took me a whole two days to start looking for rings, but clearly, it's hereditary.” Fíli chuckled. The story of how their mother had proposed the third time she'd gone out with their father was legendary. Either Bofur or Nori brought it up most holidays, which was why it was a holiday tradition to have a family brawl after dinner. Good times. 

“And accelerating, clearly.”

Kíli's eyebrows rose. “Good point. Mom lasted three dates, I didn't even last two, and you've only had one.” For several seconds, Fíli, in horrified silence, thought over the possible ramifications for their children, Kíli, no doubt, doing the same.

“...I have the sudden urge to start stockpiling shotguns.”

“And shovels.” Almost simultaneously, the brothers shuddered, shook their heads, and pushed off the truck to stride toward the house. As they turned the corner from the entryway/hall, they found her flats tucked neatly against the wall just before the carpet began. Kíli raised an eyebrow, but all Fíli could do was shrug. The kitchen was around another corner; it wasn't the quickest way to get there, but it was the simplest. They may have gone a little overboard designing the new house. 

The old house, the one that their grandfather, mother, and uncles had grown up in, that had been a second home to them as children, had been a large, but fairly standard Victorian-style villa. As a surprise for their mother, Thorin had enlisted Fíli and Kíli to help him plan the house, codenamed Lonely Mountain. It had three basements, so that the lowest was at ground level, all of which were hidden by the ‘hill’, and four floors above-ground, the first of which held the garage, guest rooms, and main kitchen. There were secret passages all through the walls, and it was possible, though difficult, to travel from the attic to the top-secret exit in the third basement without ever stepping foot in the main rooms. An exit like that had saved all their lives when Fíli was twelve. He and Kíli had insisted on including another. The year Fíli was eighteen, Thorin had convinced his sister to take their grandmother on a eight-month-long cruise, and he, the boys, and their other uncles had built the house before she returned. The basements had already been done, they'd been easiest, but they almost hadn’t finished the rest, thanks to Azog. But it had been worth it. The look on their mother’s face when she saw the house was better than any reward, and all of them had been living in the Lonely Mountain ever since, with the exception of Bombur and Gloin, since they had children of their own; they visited so often they practically lived there, anyway.

Fíli held the door open for Kíli as the younger beelined for the counters and set the bag down. The kitchen was large enough to make it impossible to see all of it at once, but it only took a few moments for Fíli to notice, “Bella’s not here.” Exchanging a worried glance, the brothers went back to the hallway. “Could she have gotten lost?” _I knew I shouldn't have left her alone, what kind of a host am I?!_

“I—” A faint, feminine voice wafted down the hall and interrupted Kíli. “Was that—”

“Uncle’s study!” _CRAPCRAPCRAPCRAPCRAPCRAPNOTGOODHOLYCRAP_

Heart pounding, Fíli bolted toward Bella’s voice, Kíli close behind him and just as panicked, but they stopped dead in the doorway. Bella was writing something on a spreadsheet, Thorin and Dís leaning on either side of her, listening intently. “…And if you open another factory in, say, Missouri, I’d put it around Scopus, your stock would go up by six or seven percent, easily, and th— Oh, hello!” She’d looked up at them, and now was smiling at Fíli in a way that made him feel a little weak at the knees. Kíli elbowed him sharply, and he realized that both his Uncle and mother were looking at him oddly. 

He cleared his throat sheepishly. “So, you’ve, uh, met my Mom, and Uncle Thorin, I see.”

She snorted, and Thorin shifted uncomfortably. “We… may have started on the wrong foot.”

She raised an eyebrow at Thorin and cocked her hip; Fíli was torn between relieved that she wasn’t intimidated by his family and being worried that she would get on his Uncle’s bad side. “You could say that. Or you could say that your first words to me were to call me a bird-brained floozy.”

Kíli looked as though he were holding back a guffaw at how their Uncle was leaning away from the tiny woman; their mother looked much the same as she laughed, “Well, you’ve certainly proved him wrong.” Bella grinned up at her, and Fíli almost began to laugh at the height difference: he and his mother were the same height, but Thorin was even taller than Kíli, and Bella looked even tinier than usual in comparison.

“There’s cake-slash-brownies, if anyone’s interested.”

Bella’s eyes lit up, and she was walking up to Fíli almost before he saw her move past his Mom. “Thank goodness, I’m starving!”

He laughed. “You just had a huge dinner an hour ago!”

She paused in the hallway, a carefully innocent expression on her face. “Exactly. It was a whole hour ago.”

Shaking his head, he couldn't erase his grin as he walked alongside her, adjusting his pace to match hers. “You’re ridiculous.”

She smiled up at him, and he realized that his arm was around her waist, his hand just above her hip, her arm in almost the same position around him. “Because obviously I’m the one who invited a girl he barely knew to meet his family.”

As he pushed open the kitchen door, Fíli’s answering tease was forgotten as he saw the food being distributed. “Uncle Bofur!” The floppy-hatted menace didn't pause in his plating, only tossed an insouciant salute to Fíli and a wink to Bella. Bifur and Oin didn't look up from their silent conversation at the back of the room, Dwalin and Nori looked like they were busy playing poker or something at the counter, but Dori nodded to them, and Ori and Balin smiled at them apologetically.

“Sorry, lad, but we didn't want it to go stale.”

“I saved you a piece, though!” Someone poked Fíli in the back, and he and Bella stepped forward to let his brother, mother, and Uncle pass. Shaking his head, Fíli dropped his hand from Bella’s waist to her hand, and led her to the stools at the counter, ignoring how cold he was without her pressed against his side. Dwalin and Nori were taking up two of the three seats, and Fíli flicked Dwalin on the arm to get his attention, then raised his eyebrows. Dwalin glanced at Bella, then at him, then whacked Nori on the arm and gestured to her. As Dwalin stood, Nori looked Bella up and down, smirking, and Fíli might have done something rash if Dwalin hadn't dragged his friend off the stool and across the room for Dori to hit, too. 

Realizing that Bella had been oddly quiet since they came into the kitchen, Fíli turned to her to see that she was shaking with suppressed laughter, one hand covering her mouth. She had to jump to get onto the stool, and was still half a head shorter than anyone in the room. Fíli slid easily onto the stool next to hers and tapped her arm. “What’s the joke?”

She turned to him, eyes twinkling, with a laugh. “Well, I was going to ask if your entire family was as freakishly tall as you, but you’re the short one, aren't you?”

Despite himself, Fíli began laughing, too. “Oh, I’m ‘freakishly tall’, it’s definitely not that you’re freakishly short!”

She gasped in mock-offence, but her eyes were still dancing. “Excuse you, I am a perfectly sensible height—” She lost it, leaning down to hide her face in her arms while she guffawed. Fíli couldn't look away from her, but he saw Kíli, Ori, and Nori start to chuckle out of the corner of his eye, and Bofur was barely keeping a straight face as he slid plates in front of the two of them. Fíli nudged her plate forward until it hit her arm; as he’d thought, she immediately looked up, though it took a moment before she was calm enough to actually eat. “You know the best part? I’m the tall one in my family.” Collapsing into giggles again, this time, Fíli couldn't help but follow her.

“You’re messing with us.” She’d just taken a bite, so all she could do for a moment was shake her head at Bofur.

“No, my Mom was 5”1’, my Dad was 5”4’, and…” Pausing for a moment as she thought, she didn't seem to notice how everyone’s expressions flickered, just for a second, as they caught the tense. “Yeah, Drogo is 5”3’, he and I are the tallest guy and girl in my entire family.”

“Well, that’s saying something. How many cousins do you even have?” _I should really stop staring at her, and I will, in just a minute. Mahal, she’s beautiful_.

Shaking her head at him sheepishly, the lights turned her eyes to sea-foam. “I don’t even know anymore; I think I really would need a piece of paper to count them all out.”

“How can you not know?” Her expression cooled as she looked at Thorin.

He shifted uncomfortably again as she smiled at him sweetly. “That reminds me, Bombur said to ask about Kíli’s first archery lesson.” Thorin’s eyes bugged, as did Kíli’s, and she tilted her head innocently. “It sounds like quite the tale. Be sure not to leave anything out.” Dís cackled while Bofur launched enthusiastically into the story, complete with impressions of Thorin running around, trying to escape his six-year-old nephew and failing miserably. Fíli was only half-listening, he’d heard it a thousand times, but Bella hadn’t, and her reactions were both enchanting and adorable, and he knew he was smiling at her like an idiot, but for right now, he really didn't care. He snagged another brownie, and ate it slowly, pretending not to notice when she started eating off his plate after cleaning off her own. 

She was tiny, as elegant as his uncles were crude, as sweet as his mother was fierce, though she could be just as fiery, and she fit into the family as easily as he’d hoped she would, _or more so_. He pictured her with him in ten years, a little older, a little changed, but just as comfortable to be with, and with him; a ring on her finger, maybe a toddler in her arms, and just as much a part of the family as she was now, and his smile widened. That was as close to a perfect life as he could imagine, and if he could marry her, if she would have him, he wasn’t sure there would be anything better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I have a few thing to point out in here, and I'm just going to take them in order. Ready? Okay. (1) She Loves Me reference, props if you spotted it, if you haven't heard that musical, look it up now. (2) Veerrrry small North and South reference, really more of an homage than anything else. (3) Bella's wearing a high-neck peplum shirt, Fíli just knows nothing about clothes other than 'she looks gorgeous'. (4) The Lonely Mountain basically looks like this, but without the lawn or fire pit, and the driveway goes up the base of the steps. http://images.suburbanmen.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/dream-homes-12.jpg (5) If Bungo had gotten to build the house, it would've been this. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/511b12efe4b0d075328d3e82/541ca7cde4b0739fc5234576/541ca7cfe4b0739fc52357b1/1411165102943/strawberry+park+residence.jpg?format=2500w (6) The entry hall looks like this, but with higher ceilings and there’s a wall between the entryway and the living room.  
> http://offgridquest.com/images/offgrid/Interiors/1471147_1420909171477969_1407820437_n.jpg (7) Heights are as following: Bella=5"2', Fíli and Dís=6"0', Kíli, Nori, and Bofur=6"2', Thorin and Dwalin=6"4', rest of Company=6"1'  
> Also, I HAVE A BETA! EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Mabmon was kind enough to help with this, while helping with my big fic, and seriously, she's awesome.


	3. Gang of Rhythm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Breakfast is made; an old friend shows up.

Fíli dragged his pillow over his head with a groan. _It’s too early for thi… wait, what day is it?_ He groped along the end table next to his bed, reaching blindly for his phone. _Book, pen, why do I have a pen by my bed? Whatever, keys, char— charger cable! and… there!_ He deftly unplugged his phone and used the other hand to lift the edge of the pillow until he could see a sliver of the world outside his bed. The sight of one little word, Friday, sent adrenaline through him like a shot. Heart pounding, he leapt out of bed only to trip on the clothes on his floor, and scrambled to kneel in front of his laptop, where there was an email waiting for him. _What…_ The events of the previous night slowly trickled back, and he realized he’d emailed his teachers to let them know he wouldn't be able to make it in before going to bed. _Why did I do that again?_ …

 _BELLA!_ He abruptly lost his balance and found himself lying on the ground as he grinned. _I’m going to marry her. If I ever marry anyone, it'll be her_. Last night, they’d barely gotten a chance to talk, too busy listening to his family’s stories, _thank Mahal they left out the walnut one_ , and the last he’d seen of her was as Dís showed her to a guest room. It was almost ten, now, and his heart fell. _She’s a student. She’s probably already gone_. Grumbling lowly, he pulled on a pair of pajama pants, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he did. He could have, and had, a few times, found his way to the kitchen blindfolded, so he let himself doze lightly as he made his way through the house.

“THAT!” His eyes shot open to see Bella _she’s still here!_ sitting on the counter next to the stove, Dís on the other side of the appliance and looking highly amused. Bella was pointing a dripping wooden spoon at him, and now gestured energetically with it. “THAT is what I mean! He comes in, hair uncombed, bedhead all over the place,” _CRAP!_ He tried to subtly smooth it down, feeling his face heat, “And still looks gorgeous!” _…What?_ “Whereas if I tried to do that, I’d look like a mouse had been nesting in my hair! It’s such a double standard!” Heat was still creeping up his cheeks, and only worsened as he took in her appearance. She was barefoot, as she seemed to prefer, and either was wearing shorts or nothing under the overlarge t-shirt. The shirt was his mother’s, she used it to work in, and suited Bella better than he would have thought. Her hair was down, in frizzy waves around her shoulders, and she still had little creases in her face and arms from her pillow. _She looks perfect. But…_

“Why are you on the counter?” She was in the middle of taking a sip of something in a pot next to her, and raised an eyebrow at him.

Opening the cupboard behind her, she gave him a ‘duh’ look. “Closer to the spice rack.” She took something out of the rack in question and closed the cupboard again. “And I was getting tired of jumping up and down.” She sprinkled the mystery spice into the pot, stirred for a few seconds, then tasted it again. A contemplative look crossed her face, and she handed the spoon to Dís. “What do you think?” Fíli moved closer while his mother sampled it, only keeping his eyes off of Bella’s bare legs with a conscious effort.

Dís licked her lips with a smile. “I think it’s ready.” 

Bella’s eyes followed his mother as she got down plates and bowls, and didn't even seem to notice Fíli when he leaned against the counter beside her, tilted so that he was still mostly facing her. “What were you talking about, before?” Her eyes jumped to his, but fell an instant later to his chest. He realized, abruptly, that he hadn't put on a shirt before coming out, but the blushing, near-awed expression Bella had wiped away any embarrassment he might have felt. He fought down a snicker, but not well enough: her head jerked up again, and she narrowed her eyes at him, now bright red. She seemed to realize something, and smirked; Fíli felt a twinge of foreboding.

Deliberately, she crossed her legs, careful not to touch him, but he was almost hyperaware of the motion despite refusing to look away from her eyes. A dull heat rose under his skin as he swallowed thickly, and her smirk widened. They were at almost the same eye-level, for once, and his eyes flicked to her lips. _They’re right there, it would be so easy to just_ … She blinked rapidly, chest rising and falling a little faster than before, _not that I was watching, I just happened to notice_ , and _is she leaning forward?_ He was matching her motion before he thought, and so was understandably shocked when his mother’s voice rang out, “No canoodling near the hot stove!”

He jerked back, while Bella leaned her head against the cupboard behind her and pressed a hand to her mouth, trying to keep from laughing. “I completely forgot she was there!”

“So did I.” He grinned at her, knowing that the moment wouldn't last much longer.

Dís flicked him on the shoulder as she passed, and he turned just as she pushed oven mitts at him. “Coffee cake’s in the oven. Make yourself useful.” He rolled his eyes playfully at Bella, but although she was holding back a smile, she pointed him commandingly toward the oven. He gave her a deep bow, smirking, and mouthed ‘as you wish’. This time, she did laugh, and he didn't even try to hold back his grin at the sound, or at the mouthwatering smells that poured out of the oven when he opened it. His mother continued as he was pulling the first coffee cake out. “And to answer your question, we were talking about the double standard in society’s view of beauty.”

“Specifically, that men are considered attractive even if they’re old, or chubby, or they wear glasses, or, Eru forbid!, they don’t wear a full face of make-up every time they go outside. While women, by contrast, are expected to be Mary Poppins, one and all.” He gave Bella an exaggeratedly confused look, and she elaborated, “Practically perfect in every way. Although I feel a little silly bringing that up here.” 

Now Dís looked as confused as Fíli, and they shared a glance before she asked, “What do you mean?”

Bella snorted. “Have you looked in a mirror lately?” She looked pointedly at Dís’ matching pajama shirt and pants, then gave Fíli an exaggerated once-over. Halfway through, her eyes slowed, once again on his chest, and he smirked. Catching his expression, she flushed and threw a towel at him. “Oh, shut up. Point being, the Durinsons in residence, at least, are already practically perfect in every way, so it’s a moot point.”

He raised an eyebrow and began slowly sauntering over to her. “All the Durinsons?”

“Well,” She tilted her head, thinking. “Bofur does have a nice smile.” A disbelieving scoff burst out of him, and she gave him an evil grin. _So it’s_ _that_ _kind of a game, then_.

Resuming his prowl, he grinned to match her. “So does ‘all the Durinsons’ include future Durinsons?”

She laughed. “Um, duh! I do know what Tauriel looks like, you know.” _Ta-who? Oh, yeah, Kíli’s girlfriend_.

“Not who I was talking about.” He put one hand on either side on her, resting lightly on the countertop half an inch or so from her hips.

Smirking, she cocked her head to the side. “Oh? Is there something I should know about your availability?”

At that, he couldn't help but laugh. “Would you just let me compliment you already?”

“Aw,” she mock-pouted, “But it’s more fun if you have to be creative.”

“Well—”

“Athrylith!” He barely had time to see the joy on Bella’s face before he spun around to see the newcomer, and she flew past him towards the voice.

“Tauri!” Thranduil’s niece, Kíli’s girlfriend, a redheaded woman Fíli’d only seen in Greenworks company pictures, grabbed Bella in a bearhug and spun her around, quickly enough that Fíli saw for himself that Bella was wearing shorts under the sleep-shirt, before setting her down and happily chatting with her in another language. _Why does[Bella](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qjvik6AEcUY) sound different from [Tauriel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6SrwWtloxg)?_

Kíli made his way over to Fíli, looking as stunned as his brother. “So… they know each other. And Bella speaks Welsh.” Fíli could only manage a strangled ‘uh-huh’. After a minute, Tauriel seemed to notice Bella’s clothes, and gestured to them. Bella motioned to Dís, then into mid-air, then looked up at Tauriel pleadingly, all the while chattering in… Welsh, apparently. Tauriel chuckled, then fished a set of keys out of her pocket and tossed them to Bella.

Bella grinned and rushed out of the room, and Tauriel, blushing, made her way over to the brothers. “Sorry about that. I wasn't expecting to see Bee-Bee here, though. Kíli didn't say anything.” _Okay, wasn't expecting the accent_. Her voice was slightly sing-song-y, but the accent was faint enough that that was all Fíli could hear.

As she stopped next to the brunet, she tossed a playful glare at him, who Fíli could see now was an inch or so shorter than her. Kíli held up his hands. “I had no idea you two knew each other, I swear!”

She didn't seem to be listening, and Fíli realized she was looking at the coffee cakes he’d taken out of the oven. “Those… You got Bella to cook?!” 

Tauriel glanced between the three of them, obviously shocked, and Dís walked over to her, frowning. “Yes, and she did a wonderful job. Why?”

“As far as I know, she hasn't cooked since her parents died.” The silence seemed weighted, and Fíli felt the same heartache as he’d felt the night before, when he found out she was an orphan. Tauriel turned to Dís. “Thank you.” Her words practically glowed with sincere gratitude, her smile even more so, and he could see Dís warm up to her a tad. “I’ve been worried about her, especially since she’s been busy lately, so, thank you.” Abruptly, she seemed to realize that she was talking to her boyfriend’s mother, and she turned bright red, stammering, “Ah— I’m Ter— Tar— Tauriel.”

“Dís.” His mother extended her hand, and Tauriel shook it, still blushing. 

Fíli crossed his arms over his chest and smirked up at her. “Fíli.” Movement behind her caught his eye, and his smirk widened. “And there’s Thorin, Dwalin, Bifur, and Nori.” She spun so quickly that Kíli had to steady her with a hand on her arm, and Fíli stepped to the side to watch the chaos. _What I wouldn't give for a bucket of popcorn_.

Thorin was glowering at her, _are they the same height?_ , and Dís moved over to him and smacked him on the arm. “Behave.”

No one seemed to know what to say, but as he looked between Tauriel, Thorin, Dís, and Kíli, Fíli just started laughing. “Well, I guess she was onto something with that ‘Mary Poppins’ comment.” Most of the room just looked confused, but his mother caught on a moment later and began laughing, too.

“What he means, Tauriel, is that Bella made a comment about our family looking like supermodels, and mentioned that you would fit right in.”

Tauriel rolled her eyes with a huff. “She would. I don’t know why she keeps saying that.”

“Because you’re clearly an eldritch changeling, ya elf!” Bella’s shouted comment sent Fíli, Kíli, and Nori into snickers, even as Fíli tried to figure out how she could've heard them from what sounded like halfway across the house. Tauriel muttered something about ‘ears like a bat’, and a few seconds later, Bella’s voice came again, a tad fainter this time. “And if you’re going to comment on my hearing, say I have ears like a pixie or something! Mix it up!” _Well, they are a little pointy._

Tauriel rolled her eyes again, but she was smiling as she half-yelled. “Fine! You have ears like a pixie, are you happy now?!” They all waited a few seconds, but Bella didn't respond this time, and Tauriel chuckled. “In case you couldn't tell, this happens a lot.”

“Should someone make sure she doesn't get lost?” Fíli’s jaw dropped. _Thorin actually looks worried about her!_ He glanced to Kíli and saw the same shock there, as well as the newfound respect; Thorin almost never worried about people outside the family.

Tauriel snorted. “Are you kidding? She has the ears of a pixie,” she tossed an amused glance to the door, “and the bearings of a homing pigeon. The little athrylith will be just fine.”

“What does that mean?”

The redhead turned to Fíli with a smirk. “Athrylith? Genius. But don’t let on you know; she only lets me call her that because hardly anyone speaks Welsh in this country.”

“…Why?” Kíli sidled up beside her and put an arm around her waist, but she either didn't notice or didn't see anything surprising about it.

“Why doesn't she like anyone knowing? Because she’s weirdly shy about things she didn't have to work for, just like how gorgeous she is, not that she ever believes me or Legos when we tell her. Why the nickname? Because she literally is; her IQ’s about 170-something. Why doesn't anyone speak Welsh? No idea.”

Kíli smirked at her. “Because Welsh is such an easy language to learn.”

“Well, it’s easier than English!” Bella’s out-of-sight contribution made Tauriel laugh but Fíli was just confused. _I thought Elrond said she grew up in Minnesota_.

“Says the girl who grew up speaking it!” Tauriel mock-glared at Bella as the tiny woman came into the room, grinning. “I wouldn’t even be fluent if you hadn't swooped in and started demanding I talk to you.”

Bella’s grin morphed to a smirk, and Fíli had to fight to keep his eyes on hers, as bright as they were. She was wearing loose jeans and a tank [top](https://img1.etsystatic.com/139/2/11352597/il_340x270.987642877_mhev.jpg) that read ‘I just want abs…olutely all the bacon’, and there was a bright-green headband in her hair. The top clung to her curves as she moved toward Tauriel and, by extension, him. _Thank Mahal it’s not low-cut_. “That’s seriously how you remember it? Because I’m pretty sure what happened was you needed someone to help you convince Legs to loosen up a little, and I was the only kid in earshot.”

Fíli broke in, trying desperately to keep from looking at her chest, and hoped it would be a little easier if she was looking at him. “Legs?”

“Legolas,” Tauriel tossed at him, “But who cares about him when there’s food!” Laughing, she started to drag Bella over to the coffee cake, but Kíli stepped in front of her and bowed.

He kissed her hand and winked at her. “Allow me, milady.”

A soppy smile that could only be genuine appeared on Tauriel’s face, and Bella laughed. Thinking quickly, Fíli bowed to her and pressed a hand to his chest as he straightened. “I can do no less, my Queen.” She turned to him, still laughing, but turned bright red as her eyes fixed on his chest again. _Victory!_  

He couldn't help but laugh, and Bella glared at him as Tauriel joined him. “I’m going to get you for that, just you wait.” Both of them still laughing, Tauriel nudged Bella toward the table, while Fíli moved to the coffee cakes and helped Kíli fill a few plates. Bella had made several flavors, including two blueberry, and he filled her plate with as much as he could fit, and two slices of the blueberry. He took a slice for himself, as well as a plain, and walked to the table with his brother. Their uncles were scattered around the table, and had already been served; their mother was sitting across from the girls, but there were seats open on either side of them.

Almost simultaneously, Fíli and Kíli set the girls’ plates in front of them, hooked one foot behind one of the chair legs, pulled it out and sat. Bella was looking at him incredulously. “Are you two twins and you forgot to tell me or something?” Fíli just shrugged, and she turned to Tauriel, but the redhead was already eating. Fíli stifled a laugh. Bella was tiny when they were all standing, but even now that they were seated, she was a full head shorter than everyone else at the table.

Tauriel chuckled, suddenly, and motioned to Bella’s food. “Well, he knows how to feed you, at least. Let me know if you’re still hungry, I probably won’t finish all of mine.” Bella chuckled, and Tauriel cleared her throat nervously. “So… about Uncle Thr—”

“No.” Expression dark, Bella delicately took a bite of her food, the motion made somehow unnerving by how deliberate it was. 

Tauriel sighed. “He needs your help.”

“Don’t care.”

The company’s going under.”

“Good.”

“Legos won’t have any inheritance.”

“Legs is a smart boy; he’ll figure something out.”

“He—” Bella set her fork down on the table with enough force to nearly knock over Dís’ drink, and for the first time since meeting her, Fíli saw the businesswoman, rather than the girl. Her expression was stone, and as tall as the other woman was, Tauriel looked as though she’d have rather faced Thorin on a bad day. Fíli couldn't help but agree with her. 

When Bella spoke, her voice was calculated, controlled, and held enough ice to put Elrond to shame. “Did you give him my message?”

“Yes, b—”

“How many times?”

Tauriel sighed again. “Four.”

“Then he knows my conditions.” Bella turned back to her breakfast, and after a few seconds, Fíli and most of the table hesitantly followed suit. Now that she was focused on her meal, she cleaned her plate more quickly than Fíli would've believed if he hadn't seen her eat before, and she stood to take her plate to the sink before Fíli could offer to take it for her. He was still finishing his own meal, but he kept one eye on her as she rinsed her plate and set it on the counter. Her expression hadn't lightened, and she’d made a few little noises as she ate, growls and huffs, that he guessed meant she was still thinking about Thranduil. As he’d half-expected, she rounded on Tauriel again on her way back to the table. “You know what? No. New conditions.” Her voice was a snarl that quickly built to a roar, the accent she’d had while speaking with Tauriel now returning, and thickening as she raged. “Just a phone call isn't going to cut it anymore, I want him to come and ask me— No! Beg me, in person, on his knees, to save his company from the early grave he’s dug it into.”

Fíli exchanged startled glances with his mother and uncles. _That is a_ _lot_ _of vehemence for someone so tiny_.

“Publicly, officially, and legally disavow everything Greenworks has done for the last thirty years, resign his position,” her tone turned satisfied, and she started pacing as she spoke, “put Legolas in charge, fire that lech Elros, make you head of security, give me full authority to trim the fat in R&D, I mean, honestly, it shouldn't even be called ‘Greenworks’ with how many of its factories are pouring pollutants in the groundwater, ‘Mirkworks’, now that would be accurate, and half the profits are going right down the drain with how shoddy the materials they’re using are, the entire business is going down the drain, I mean it’s infuriating! And painful, but mostly infuriating! And then, he’d have to give a to-be-determined percentage of his yearly salary to a charity of my choosing, and sign a contract to stay on the other side of the country from wherever Legolas picks for his head office. Then,” she headed back to her seat and held Tauriel’s eyes as she did, “and only then, will I save his company.”

She stopped just before she reached her seat, her eyes flicking over the occupants of the table, all of which were as shocked as Fíli, and turned bright red. Fíli stood to pull her chair out for her, laughing. “So is this going to happen every day, or…?”

Still looking somewhat dazed, Tauriel leaned over to Bella as Fíli pushed her chair back in and whispered, “What is he talking about?”

Bella’s flush intensified, and she kept her eyes on the table as she answered, her accent now gone. “He, uh, saw me dump Otho yesterday.”

Tauriel broke into a huge grin, and she pulled Bella into an enthusiastic side-hug. “Well, it’s about time! We’ve been telling you he’s bad news for a year!”

“Yeah, yeah,” Bella grumbled. _She’s not pushing her away, though_.

“Although,” Tauriel looked thoughtfully at Fíli over Bella’s head, smirking, “Otho, Legos, Fíli… You definitely have a thing for blonds.” Fíli choked on a bite of coffee cake, and had to steal Dwalin’s drink to keep from coughing up a lung. 

Bella just rolled her eyes, although she was still slightly red. “Yeah, well, apparently I also have a thing for beards, which I didn't even know until last night, but hey! You learn something new every day.” Kíli had to shove his fist in his mouth, shaking with suppressed laughter, but Fíli didn't care. All he could do was grin, even as Dwalin grabbed his drink back.

Standing, Dís shook her head at her sons and smiled at the two women. “I think the living room might be a little more comfortable, don’t you think?” As the group filed into the hallway, she tossed back, “Fíli, put on a shirt.”

He couldn't see Bella in the middle of the group, what with the height difference, but he clearly heard her quiet, dejected, “Nooo, the abs…” She and Tauriel started laughing a moment later, but he was still grinning as he ran to change clothes.

 

Dís led them to a large sitting area, not as big as the ones in the Palace, _most appropriate nickname ever_ , and not as cozy as Bee-Bee’s, but large enough and comfortable enough to fit the entire group and still leave room on the couch, on Bella’s other side, for Fíli. Kíli sat next to Tauriel and she leaned against him briefly before straightening again. _Love you, Kee, but Bee-Bee’s as much a fish out of water as I am right now_. The couch they were on was at least as plushy as Bella’s, but twice as big. There were two other couches like it, one on either side of the room, and armchairs scattered throughout, some soft-looking, some firmer. Dís sat across from Tauriel and Bella, in one of the more solid chairs, and smiled at them. “So, how do you know Welsh?”

Bella snorted, and Tauriel side-eyed her. _How long have you been here, anyway?_ She’d said earlier that Dís had offered her a change of clothes while hers were in the wash, but Tauriel had just assumed that she’d spilled something that morning. _With how comfortable she looks with her, it’s a safe bet she’s been here at least a few hours_. Bella never warmed up to strangers like this, at least around Tauriel. She was friendly, sure, but never seemed able to relax completely, and yet here she was, lounging back like she’d lived here her whole life. It hadn’t taken long for her to be comfortable around Tauriel, _mostly because of the tutoring_ , but she hadn’t been this relaxed around Legolas until she was thirteen, and they’d known each other for years before Tauriel met her. _Although the age difference might have affected that; he is seven years older than her, after all. Of course, I’m four years older, and she doesn't seem to mind that, but maybe it’s because he’s a guy?_ _Oh, right, question_. Tauriel turned back to Dís with a blush. “I grew up in Twyn-yr-odyn, a little ways outside of Cardiff. I’ve lived with my Uncle and Legolas since I was twelve, but the athrylith has kept me in practice enough that I still have an accent.”

“Oh, please, you keep the accent because you like it.” Tauriel mock-glared at Bella as she smirked.

“Says you.”

“Says anyone who knows as well as I do that you can do a perfect American accent when you want to.”

She elbowed Bella. “Not as perfect as yours.” Bella, still smirking, just bobbed her head in silent acknowledgement.

Dís was biting her cheek, but her voice was even when she turned to Bella. “So where did you learn Welsh?”

Bella shrugged. “My Dad’s family’s all North Wales, Cerrigydrudion and Llanfihangel Glyn Myfyr, mostly, and it’s a family tradition to learn Cymraeg before English. Of course, my Mom’s side of the family is mostly Irish, so she taught me that at the same time, so English ended up being my third language.”

Rolling her eyes, Tauriel turned to Dís ‘confidingly’. “And then obviously three languages weren't enough, so she took Spanish in high school, taught herself French, is teaching herself Mandarin, and made Elrond’s twins teach her Russian.”

Bella, who’d been hissing for Tauriel to ‘shut up’, was immediately distracted by the new topic, _just as I planned_ , and rolled her eyes. “First of all, it’s Rusyn, not Russian, secondly, ‘made’ them teach me? They were happy to have another partner in crime.” Dís opened her mouth, but a dazed voice from the doorway caught their attention.

“You speak… seven languages?” Tauriel was glad to see that Fíli was fully dressed now, though how toned he was had made her wonder if Kíli was as fit, but he didn't seem to even notice that anyone else was in the room. He was staring at Bee-Bee, an awed light in his eyes and a goofy smile on his lips. _Theory confirmed_. If whatever they were wasn’t brand-new, Bella would have told her, but they were definitely something. _At least this one appreciates her_.

Bella was blushing again, but couldn't keep back a smile almost as goofy as Fíli’s, and Tauriel grinned. _Otho_ _never_ _made her this happy_. Resolutely ignoring Bella, Tauriel chirped, “Yup! Also, she can compute probabilities and game theory in her head, likes to hike, and knows how to ballroom dance!”

“How is that important right now?!?”

Raising an eyebrow at the bright-red athrylith, Tauriel made sure to keep from smirking. “Do you actually think you’ll be able to go more than a few days without dragging him into a waltz or something? Because I’m pretty sure Legos and I timed you once, and the longest you went wasn't even a week.”

Bella spluttered indignantly for several seconds, then her eyes flicked past Tauriel, and she grinned, wide and bright and feral. “Hey, Kíli, want to know all the gossip about your girlfriend?” _Oh, it’s on_.

“Fíli!” Smoothly, Tauriel stood and sidestepped, while Bella scooted over to where she’d been, and sat, all the while smiling toothily at her future brother-in-law. Bella began chattering about her idiosyncrasies, but Tauriel forced herself to block the younger girl out as the blond sat next to her. “So, first of all, if she really cares about one of her jobs, she gets lost in her own world for a few days. Her employees know to make sure she eats, but if you’re around when she gets a call, make sure you check on her at least once a day. She can’t listen to a song she knows without singing along. If she wasn't such a good singer, Legos and I would've gagged her years ago; and just to forewarn you, what I was saying about her dragging you into a waltz? Yeah, that applies to just about every style, every genre, and every song, so be prepared to learn how to [Charleston](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ8Eti-iuLM) in case _And All That Jazz_ comes on the radio.”

“I am not that bad!” 

With a smirk, Tauriel looked over her shoulder at Bella. “Bee-Bee, you made me act out _Weapon of Choice_ with you the last time we got together. How do you even know the choreography to that, anyway?”

Bella looked as though she might’ve been about to answer, _or snark something_ , but just then, a rather distinctive trumpet started playing. Tauriel just had time to realize two things: there were speakers set into the ceiling, and Kíli was waggling his phone and grinning at her. An instant later, her attention snapped back to a now-grumpy Bella. “I’m not dancing.”

Tauriel just raised an eyebrow at her and slowly grinned. When the count came, _five, six, seven, eight_ , she launched herself over the couch to the hardwood floor behind it and started dancing, intentionally throwing in a few anachronistic moves here and there, and grinning wider when Bella bobbed her head a few times before scowling. An second or two later, she rolled her eyes and, grinning to match Tauriel, jumped over to her. With an ease earned from hundreds of hours of impromptu dance parties, _curse those puppy eyes_ , Tauriel effortlessly switched to a [Lindy Hop](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9xxeWRxSbA), and the two women traded off the lead, as usual. When the song reached the piano bit just before the singing started, Bella somehow _black magic, probably_ found the breath to call out, “Kíli, if you don't change songs in the next twenty seconds, I will kill you and dance on your grave!” He choked; Tauriel laughed. 

Barely a second after the music slowed, a drumroll signaled the start of another song, and Tauriel felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see Kíli grinning up at her, impish and breathtaking as usual, and put her hand in his without thinking about it. She turned back to Bella only to see her take Fíli’s hand just as the singing started, and Tauriel let herself get swept away in the song and her partner. 

 _Hey there, cutes, put on your dancing boots, and come… dance with me!_ Within half the song, though, it was obvious that samba de gafiera wasn't Kíli’s strong suit, and, starting to feel breathless from more than her fiancé _shh!_ , Tauriel led him to the couch again and collapsed on him. Dís was shaking her head, laughing, and Thorin looked cautiously amused. The rest were staring, open-mouthed, at the dancers. Fíli and Bella were still going, he at an obvious disadvantage, but apparently too stubborn to give up so soon. Bella was toying with him, throwing in flourishes that he couldn't match, but always slowing down after a moment to match him again. They were laughing together, somehow in sync despite the difference in their skills, and Tauriel felt a weight slide off her shoulders, seeing how happy her chwaer was, how comfortable she was with this family compared to her own, and relaxed against Kíli for what felt like the first time in years. _She’s going to be just fine_. Her smile widened. _I’m going to make sure of it. And if he hurts her, he’ll regret it. Simple as that. Only question is, will she leave enough pieces for me and Legos to go after?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is a song by Walk Off the Earth, and I'm making a special note of it because if you think Bella *hasn't* shanghaied Tauriel and Legolas into singing it with her, I have failed as an author. So, (1) according to google/a site I can't remember the name of, the proper counter height for someone (my) Bella's height would be 2'9". Yeah, theirs are a full six inches above that, so sitting on the counter is literally the only way she can function in that kitchen, not that Fíli minds. (2) Bella's accent (when she uses it) is North Wales, Tauriel's is more Cardiff, if that helps. (3) That thing about 'ears like a pixie'? Apparently there are people who say that in Cornwall? I'd never heard it before, but I like it. (4) The line about Fíli's abs was about 90% of why he was shirtless, in case you were curious. (5) The first song that plays is the Overture/And All That Jazz from the movie version of Chicago. Kíli just played the first version that came up. (6) The second song is the Bublé version of Come Dance With Me, and I am *not* a dancer, so if you have a better suggestion than samba de gafiera (which I got from google), please let me know. (7) Finally, in the video I linked to on 'Charleston', Tauriel dances like the one with black stockings, Bella's like the one on her right; in the 'Lindy Hop' video, at 6:55, Bella's the girl.  
> Sorry if the dancing thing came out of nowhere, but I couldn't get the image out of my head.   
> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/af/62/6a/af626adabb3c1b9d29c32a28eb26e56c.jpg)  
> I saw this picture on Pinterest, and couldn't get it out of my head. And, since it's me, now I have about fifteen ideas to continue the story, but for right now I'm going to leave it as a one-shot and add more chapters as I write them. If anyone is interested in betaing my main story, please let me know, I'd love the help. Just to forewarn you, it's currently 120k words and I'm pretty sure it's going to take another 30k at least to finish it. I don't really need any help with grammar or spelling, but if you have an eye for continuity or awkwardly worded sentences, this might be the story for you.  
> Shameless self-advertising aside, Fíli in this story basically looks like Dean O'Gorman in this picture: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/12/22/8c/12228cb6e2633bdd1f83e26a39e06a75.jpg - I know he's actually 5'8, but for this story, he's 6'0 and Bella's 5'2.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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